Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-07-12

resolutions when they are nothing but Re
publican campaign documents This is
how the G. A. r. is prostituted by unscru-
pulous politicians.
Let il bedistinetly understood that when
the REGISTER speaks of the political lead
ers of the G. A. r. it does not include all
the Post Commanders Of that body, many
of whom are as true soldiers, morally as
well as physically, as any Of the rank and
file. In proof of this witness the Gettys-
burv reunion and numbers Of instances in
which commanders have been foremost in
healing sectional wounds and in honoring
our Democratic President, to the chagrin
of the Republican manipulators of the G.
Ar. In these cases the Post Command
ers acted spontaneously and independent
of their superior officers. They acted as
G. A. K. men, loyal to the President of the
United States. They have not fallen into
the clutches of the Republican politicians.
These soldier leaders have not been re-
placed by political henchmen.
On the same line we answer Fps" ques-
ton, if we think the introduction Of pol
itics is forbidden at G.. A. L. meetings.
The reply depends upon who are in COM
mand. Are they honest veterans who still
keep their commands pure, or are they
corrupt politicians who hOOdwink the vet
Grams into stultifying their order? If the
former, yes; if the latter, most assuredly,
no.
Also will this apply to "P's' query re-
garding the coming reunion Of the Army OF
West Virginia to he held in Wheeling.
Who are its officers? up" quotes from
the list of committees. He says: The
Chairman of every committee is dyed-in-
the-wool Republican; not one Democrat in
the list nor a Republican with any reputa-
ton for liberality in his opinions. On some
Of the committees are Democrats who
served in the army during the whole war
but the Chairmen are Republicans who
never smelled powder burned \ 1"
He then goes ON to name prominent Dem
ocrsts and soldiers of West Virginia who
ARE thought unfit for committee chair
manship," etc., and adds: "Out of 233
places on the committees 80 are filled with
Democrats" and this he partieularizes.
This answers the question, Who are its
officers? pretty thoroughly, They are Re-
publicans, and many of them not even
Republican soldiers. Scarcely had the
reunion been brought to public notice
when the Iateligeacer in advance attempted
to use it for political purposes; to insult
the President with the assertion in q dis
patch sent from its Office TO the most I'M
fair of all political sheets, the Cincinnati
Commercial Gazette, asserting that he would
not be welcome.
This is a sample of what may be ex-
pected of the reunion under Its present Of
fcers. Whether ops hint that it lis no
more nor less than Republican eonyen-
ton and is intended as the opening per
formance of the next political campaign in
West Virginia." is well founded or not
will be seen if the present list of officers OF
the reunion remains unchanged.
But if the HteuigeRcer and the other Re-
publicans concerned are sincere in their
loud proclamations that the reunion is to
be boom Tor Wheeling and not a party
affair, ifthey want to make it successful
reunion of old soldiers and want Demo-
cratic aid from q Democratic city and State
TO insure its success, let them take the
Republican politicians from the head and
front of the affair or rather give Democrats
equal prominence on the committees.
1t may be urged that the Democrats in
the G.. A. K. are in the minority. This is
true. But, are the Republican ehairmen
and committeeman all soldiers, orc. A. K.
men? The list says positively, no. lfRe-
publican citizens who were not soldiers are
placed on committees, why not Democrats
who are old soldiers?
Ii is unfair to ask Democrats to give
money for Republicans to spend on an affair
whose ends Democrats are well warranted
in suspicioning. II will be well for sincere
G. A. r. people to heed this advice and
look to see who is driving their wagon, and
whittier. There is abundance of time to
reorganize the q. A. K. committees on q
non-partisan basis between now and Au-
gust %, and to give the people of Wheel
ing assurance that il is to be reunion for
good fellowship among old soldiers and
for the benefit of Wheeling and not for the
benefit of the Republican party and 10
keep alive the insult to the President.
Let the President he invited. He would
probably not come, but that should not
deter the managers of the reunion from
displaying their non-partisanism.
Let the G.. A. X. demonstrate that these
letters stand for Grand Army Of the Re-
public and not for Grand Army of the Re-
publicans.
Asserting His Independence.